The Beacon

The Beacon was the name of Mike Oldfield’s country house located in Kington, Herefordshire, where Oldfield moved in Autumn 1973 to escape from the pressures of Tubular Bells’ success. In his new home he had a custom made 24 track recording studio, in which he would compose, rehearse and record until the end of 1975, when he left The Beacon to move to another remote farmhouse in Througham-Slad, Gloucestershire. In his Kington retreat from 1973 to 1975, Oldfield composed and recorded the first demo of 'Hergest Ridge' (final recording of this album was eventually made at The Manor), and composed and recorded 'Ommadawn' with some local musicians. He also recorded there his contributions to some of his friends' albums, David Bedford's The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner and Edgar Broughton Band's Bandages. The Beacon is also referred to as [Mike Oldfield’s] Kington Studio.